Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first reading device which reads a reference image formed on a sheet, a second reading device which reads a reference image formed on an image carrier, a control device which can execute a first control process for adjusting image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the first reading device, and a second control process for adjusting the image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the second reading device, wherein the control device executes the second control process before performing image formation based on the image data when the first control process has not been executed in a period from when mounting of the unit configuring the image forming device is detected to when image formation is performed.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming device which includes an image carrier, a charging unit configured to charge the image carrier, an exposure unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image by exposing the image carrier charged by the charging unit based on image data, a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner, and an intermediate transfer member on which a toner image developed by the developing unit is transferred, and is configured to transfer the toner image on a sheet; 
 a first reading device configured to read a reference image which is formed on a sheet by the image forming device; 
 a second reading device configured to read a reference image formed on the intermediate transfer member by the image forming device; 
 a control device which can execute a first control process for adjusting image formation conditions for the image forming device based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the first reading device, and a second control process for adjusting the image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the second reading device; and 
 a mounting detection device configured to detect that a unit configuring the image forming device has been mounted, 
 wherein the control device executes the second control process before performing image formation based on the image data when the first control process has not been executed in a period from when mounting of the unit configuring the image forming device is detected by the mounting detection device to when the image formation is performed based on the image data. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the image forming device executes image formation using a plurality of toner colors, and
 when the unit configuring the image forming device is mounted, the control device executes the second control process with respect to a color corresponding to the unit of which mounting is detected by the mounting detection device, and does not execute the second control process with respect to a color corresponding to the unit of which is not detected by the mounting detection device. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device controls a bias control device configured to control a potential difference between a potential of the electrostatic latent image and a developing bias applied by the developing unit to toner. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device controls an exposure amount control device configured to control an exposure amount of light shed onto the image carrier by the exposure unit. 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the control device generates conversion data for converting the image data based on a density detection result of the reference image on the intermediate transfer member, and
 the exposure amount control device adjusts the exposure amount by converting the image data based on the conversion data. 
 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the image forming device is a process cartridge into which the image carrier, the charging unit and the developing unit are integrated, and
 the mounting detection device detects that the process cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. 
 
     
     
       7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming device which includes an image carrier, a charging unit configured to charge the image carrier, an exposure unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image by exposing the image carrier charged by the charging unit based on image data, a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner, and an intermediate transfer member on which a toner image developed by the developing unit is transferred, and is configured to transfer the toner image on a sheet; 
 a first reading device configured to read a reference image which is formed on a sheet by the image forming device; 
 a second reading device configured to read a reference image formed on the intermediate transfer member by the image forming device; 
 a control device which can execute a first control process for adjusting image formation conditions for the image forming device based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the first reading device, and a second control process for adjusting the image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the second reading device; and 
 amounting detection device configured to detect that a unit configuring the image forming device has been mounted, 
 wherein the control device executes the second control process in response to detection result from the mounting detection device that the unit configuring the image forming device has been mounted, and when the first control process has been executed in a period from detection of the mounting detection device that the unit configuring the image forming device has been mounted to execution of image formation based on the image data, the image formation is executed based on the image formation conditions adjusted according to the first control process, and when the first control process has not been executed in the period from the detection of the mounting detection to the execution of the image formation based on the image data, the image formation is executed based on the image formation conditions adjusted according to the second control process.